


Perfection Defined

by thequidditchpitch_archivist



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Action/Adventure, Comedy, Fluff, Friendship, Post-Hogwarts, Romance, The Quidditch Pitch: Leaving Feast
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2006-05-29
Updated: 2006-05-29
Packaged: 2018-10-27 08:52:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,192
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10805832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thequidditchpitch_archivist/pseuds/thequidditchpitch_archivist
Summary: The headmaster has a confession for Professor Granger.





	Perfection Defined

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Annie, the archivist: this story was originally archived at [The Quidditch Pitch](http://fanlore.org/wiki/The_Quidditch_Pitch), which went offline in 2015 when the hosting expired, at a time I was not able to renew it. I contacted Open Doors, hoping to preserve the archive using an old backup, and began importing these works as an Open Doors-approved project in April 2017. Open Doors e-mailed all authors about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact us using the e-mail address on [The Quidditch Pitch collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/thequidditchpitch/profile).

  
Author's notes:

Written by request for [](http://insipid-paragon.livejournal.com/profile)[**insipid_paragon**](http://insipid-paragon.livejournal.com/), who asked for Snape/Hermione and said, _I need sweet and fluffy like whoa_. Hope you don’t get a toothache.  
*Thanks to [](http://reddwarfer.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://reddwarfer.livejournal.com/)**reddwarfer** for looking this over.*

_“It’s Christmas, Hermione and if you can’t say it at Christmas, when can you say it?”_ Yes, I (basically) stole that line from  Love Actually.   


* * *

Hermione Granger was a lot of things. Intelligent, talented, and dedicated were at the top of the list for anyone describing her. She was proud of her sharp mind and loyalty to whatever cause she was currently fighting for, but once, just once, it would be nice to be thought of differently.

She gazed at herself in the mirror. “I’m pretty,” she said out loud.

“You’re lovely, dear,” her mirror replied, pleasantly.

With a roll of her eyes, Hermione pulled her hair back into a French twist, slipped into her high heels and headed down to the Yule Ball…alone.

Harry and Ron had told her they’d be more than happy to come, to keep her company, but that was the last thing she needed. It wasn’t as though she didn’t love them or that she wasn’t happy for them, but a part of her was still self-conscious about them being a _couple_ now. She and Ron had been broken up for months before he and Harry finally admitted their feelings for each other. Yet, it still made her wonder if things would have been different if she had been prettier or sexier… _or had a penis_. Her voice of reason reminded her often, that no matter how fabulous she was, she was simply the wrong gender for Ron, and that was something that even a Madam Marvela’s Magical Makeover couldn’t change.

“Oh my, Professor Granger, don’t you look ravishing this evening,” Madam Hooch complimented Hermione when she reached the entry hall. Hermione smiled, fighting the urge to roll her eyes. It was a cruel twist of fate that those who found her most attractive were either gay men or gay women.

She thanked Madam Hooch, returning the compliment, of course, then politely slipped away into the Great Hall.

~~~~~~~~~~

The Ball was quite uneventful—the tamest they’d seen in a few years. She was relieved, although a secret part of her yearned for something exciting to happen that night.

As Hermione accepted another glass of punch from the flying instructor, who had hardly left her side the entire evening, she suddenly caught the Headmaster’s eye. She nodded, respectfully. He smiled and walked toward her.

“Professor, would you do me the honour of sharing the last dance with me?” he asked, offering his hand.

Hermione almost never danced at the Yule Ball, but she was so happy to have a valid excuse to get away from her doting colleague, that she accepted his hand.

“You looked like you were in need of rescue,” Severus whispered as he placed his hand on her hip, dancing her across the room.

Hermione grinned. “Oh, Rolanda is harmless,” she chuckled.

“May I ask you a personal question, Hermione?”

“I’m not gay, Severus. I just don’t seem to attract heterosexuals.”

Severus exhaled a small laugh. “I didn’t think you were, Hermione. And I wouldn’t be so sure about the latter.”

His remark almost when over her head, but when he raised his eyebrow suggestively, Hermione felt her cheeks reddening.

~~~~~~~~~~

After his traditional words to close the Ball, Severus approached Hermione again. “May I interest you in a night cap in my quarters?” he asked in her ear. She tried her best to hold back her smile, but the school girl in her was doing cartwheels.

Hermione had always had a secret crush on Severus Snape. Well, not _always_ , there was the whole year that everyone believed him to be a Death Eater and blamed him for killing Albus Dumbledore. However, when it became clear that they had all been very mistaken and Severus helped Harry defeat the Dark Lord once and for all, the familiar tingling sensation came back whenever Hermione saw him.

In his sitting room, he poured them each a glass of brandy. He held out his arm, gesturing for her to sit on the sofa. Taking the seat next to her, he sipped his drink almost nervously, she thought.

“Severus, what did you want to ask me earlier?”

He licked his lips and set his glass on the table. “First, let me apologize for not telling you earlier how absolutely exquisite you look this evening. Silver is certainly your colour.”

She grinned and glanced up at his brilliant silver hair, pulled back into a neat ponytail, as always. “And yours as well, Severus,” she replied, allowing herself to flirt a little.

Suddenly, Severus reached out and took Hermione’s hands in his. “Hermione, I’d like to come straight to the point, if you don’t mind. I’ve put this off for far too long…years.” He swallowed hard. ”You’re intelligent, talented, dedicated...”

Hermione sighed, her natural reaction to this sentiment.

_“And,”_ he continued, speaking more forcefully to make his point, “you are also quite beautiful and far more alluring than I believe you are aware. You are perfection defined, Hermione.”

“Severus.” She blushed, again. Her heart was beating so hard, she was sure he could hear it.

“It’s Christmas, Hermione and if you can’t say it at Christmas, when can you say it?”

“Pardon me, Severus, but what exactly are you saying?”

He gazed so deeply into her eyes; she could almost _feel_ him in her soul. “My heart belongs to you, Hermione. I’ve let my fears hold me back for so very long. I cannot go on another day without you knowing how I feel. I only hope that there is the slightest possibility of you giving me... _us,_ a chance.”

Without a second thought, and with barely a first one, Hermione threw her arms around Severus’ neck, pressing her lips firmly to his. He melted against her at first, then wrapped her in a strong embrace, rubbing his hands across her bare back. The kiss deepened as she parted her lips to allow his eager tongue the entrance it so desired.

Hermione could not remember the last time she was kissed this way, if ever she was. Her heart had sprouted wings and was now soaring around the room like a Golden Snitch.

Severus pulled back and smiled softly at her; the expression of a man in love, there was no doubt about it. She wondered how it was possible that she had never even suspected his feelings before this night. It all seemed so obvious now, so fantastically obvious.

She took a deep breath and returned a radiant smile. This was simply too good to be true. She almost wanted to pinch herself. “Severus, may I ask you something?”

“Anything.”

“You’re certain you’re not gay, right?”

He tossed his head back with laughter, a sound that was both out of place and yet so perfect coming from him. “I’m quite certain,” he replied, grinning. “However, if you’d care for me to _prove_ it…”

Severus took hold of her hand and led her into his bedroom.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


End file.
